Brushing machine



C. F. MILLER BRUSHING MACHINE May 9, 1950 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 11, 1946 INVENTOR.

- CHHRLES F M/LLER y 7 1950 c. F. MILLER 2,507,038

BRUSHING MACHINE Filed Dec. 11, 1946 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN V EN TOR. CHHRLES F M/L LER BY g: m

y 1950 c. F. MILLER 2,507,038

BRUSHING MACHINE Filed Dec. 11, 1946 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 5.5 I K 42 16.5: l 52 H W /a INVENTOR.

C'Hk/RLES F MILLER By M? Patented May 9, 1950 BRUSHING MACHINE Charles F. Miller, Philadelphia, Pa., assignor to Jacquard Knitting Machine 00., Inc., Philadelphia, Pa, a corporation of New York Application December 11, 1946, Serial No. 715,455

7 Claims.

This invention relates to machines for brushing or raisin the nap On tubular fabrics. Within the term brushing I include all such variations of operation as are variously known as brushing, combing, napping, burring, teezling, etc.

Speaking generally, my invention comprises mechanism for brushing tubular fabrics that can be employed as an attachment, as it were, to a textile machine producing tubular fabric such as a circular knitting machine for example, or that can comprise a brushing machine per se.

An object of the invention is to provide an improved brushing mechanism in which rotary brushing elements not only revolve around the fabric but also brush the fabric at an angle. Rotation of the fabric tube itself, with the brushes remaining at fixed locations, is of course an alternative. The fabric may be struck a number of times at the same point. The cloth can be pulled evenly to where it is taken off the machine and bunching avoided.

The disposition of the brushes at an angle to the moving fabric prevents the fabrics being twisted around by the brushing action and furthermore raises the nap in the proper direction.

Another object of the invention is to provide in such a machine brushes which although angularly disposed with regard to the fabric may nevertheless be readily adjusted to and from the cloth in such a manner that the desired brushing angle may be maintained, that is, the brushes are adjustable around the axis of their rotation against the fabric. The advantages of such adjustability of the brushes is that they can thus be moved to and from the fabric as necessitated by the thickness or as desired to give deep or light napping or merely combing of the nap without altering their brushing angle.

A further advantage of my invention is that it provides, as it were, for variable mounting of the brushes so that different brushes may brush diiferent levels of the fabric during the same rotation around the fabric of all the brushes. This feature together with the brushes special adjustability permits, for example, of raising the nap at one level with brushes set close to the fabric and for simultaneous combing with a brush mounted so as to strike the fabric just beyond and adjusted comparatively farther from the fabric. Thus it is not necessary to pass the fabric through the machine once for napping or brushing and again for combing. The possibility of variable mounting of the brushes also permits of slightly staggering the brushes at slightly different angles or points of contact to get either more uniform or variable napping, which again eliminates repetition of the process with newly positioned brushes.

A motor for the brushing mechanism may be used which is distinct from that used for driving an associated textile machine, or for propelling the fabric. Thus the brushing mechanism can constitute a separate unit that can be attached to a machine or can be used simply as a separate brushing device separate from any textile machine. Also variations in speed of the brushes rotation around the fabric and their rotation against the fabric can be separately obtained by means of the motor or by changing gears without accompanying changes in the associated machinery. For example, it is possible to vary the number of the rotations of the brushes around the fabric for each revolution of the cam ring of a knitting machine.

The accompanyin drawings illustrate preferred forms of my invention. In these drawings: Fig. 1 is a broken vertical view partly in section, of my brushing mechanism combined with a circular knitting machine; Fig. 2 is a view of a brush and a part of the brush adjusting mechanism looking from below; Fig. 3 is a sectional view of brush and part of the brush adjusting mechanism taken on line III-III of Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a sectional View of the brush adjusting mechanism at the adjusting knob; Fig. 5 is a broken vertical view of a brushing mechanism as a separate unit for use alone as a brusher; Fig. 6 is a view looking from below of a brush having a different form of adjustin mechanism.

Referring particularly to Fig. 4, the knitting machine is indicated briefly and diagrammatically. It has a customary needle cylinder II which is supported on a bed l2 which rests on a lower bed l3; the latter is carried by legs as usual. In slots in its wall the cylinder carries sliding needles M which are raised and lowered by the action of cams on cam ring I5 which act on needle butts Hi. The cylinder is stationary in the present instance and the cam ring I5 is rotated by gear teeth I! on it.

As the tube 18 of fabric is knitted, it passes down over a cylindrical separator or expander I9, provided to support the fabric against the thrust of the brushes. It is drawn down by take-off rolls 20 whose shafts are power driven (not shown). The brushing or napping operation takes place as the fabric passes over separator [9.

One of the preferred forms of my brushing 3 mechanism is shown in detail in Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive. As there shown, a supporting ring 2!, provided externally with gear teeth 22, rests on stationary gear ring 23 surrounding the axis of separator is and affixed to the machine bed plate 13.

Each housing or bracket 25, carrying a brush, has substantially a sloping end 26. From the base of housing 25 (or rather, in the present instance, at its upper surface), near the sloping end 26, extends a rectangular flange 21 while from the other end of housing 25 extends another flange 28. In flanges 21 and 28 respectively are slightly elongated holes 29 and 30 which lie on the same arc. In flange 28 and parallel to the longest edge is an elongated slot 3|. The flanges 2! and 28 are more or less affixed to the underside of supporting ring 2| by means of bolts 32 and 33, running through the holes 29 and 33 respectively, and they act as guides also when the brush housings are adjusted as described later. Also each brush housing 25 is further secured to supporting ring 2! by a nut or nuts 25A threaded on a neck 25B rising from the housing 25 and coaxial with the respective shaft each housing neck 25B is rotatable in the ring 2|. A pin 34 runs through slot 3| but does not penetrate into supporting ring 2| (as is described below).

Within each brush housing or bracket 25, parallel to the axis of the machine, is a rotatable shaft 35 bearing gear 36 which meshes with the internal teeth 23A of the stationary gear 23. A brushing wheel 31, made with card clothing, tampico fiber, or some other selected material, is mounted on rotatable shaft 38 in sleeve 39, the latter extending from the sloping end 26 of housing 25. Shaft 33 also carries a gear 40 which meshes with another lower gear 4! on shaft 35. Each shaft 35 and its gears are supported by its gear 36 resting on a bracket 25A projecting from'an inner wall of the respective housing or bracket 25.

In operation a motor 42A, supported in housing 43 and having gear MA on its shaft which meshes with gear teeth 22 on supporting ring 2|, causes ring 2| to revolve and carry the brushes around the outside of the fabric which passes over separator or expander l9 relatively slowly. As the brushes are carried around, their gears 36, which mesh with circular stationary gear 23 and thus are rotated, rotate the shafts 35 in the brush housings and with them the gears 4|. Gears 4|, in turn meshing with gears 40 on shafts 38, cause rotation of shafts 3B and brush wheels 31 thereon.

Because of the described construction of the brush housing and its mounting on supporting ring 2!, the brushes 3! rotate against the fabric at a predetermined angle such that the axis of each individual brush is so positioned with respect to the separator axis that on projecting the brush axis toward the separator axis such projection will meet the separator periphery and the fabric thereon substantially tangentially to the separator and. will then intersect the separator axis at an angle to it, to engage the fabric passed over the separator at an angle to the elements of the tubular fabric, or in other words to the direction of the fabric movement, i. e. downward in the present instance. Such angular brushing is preferred since it tends to prevent twisting of the fabric around the separator I9, and also aids in pulling the fabric toward the take-01f. However the brushes may be rotated in the opposite direction on occasion.

In practice the brushes 3! may be revolved around the fabric at sumcient speed relative to the speed of the cloth movement, for each of them to strike the same spot on the fabric a few times, e. g., say three times. Such multiple striking tends to produce a uniform napping without endangering the integrity of the cloth.

If it is desired to follow the napping process by a different operation, such as combing, one or more of the brushes can be constructed and adjusted toward or from the cloth for the desired operation, and made to strike the fabric at a lower level than the other brushes as is shown in Fig. 1, e. g. by the use of a lower extending brush housing. A combing operation can be obtained by setting a wheel 37 somewhat further from the fabric than for napping so that it contacts merely the nap already raised.

A preferred mechanism by which I obtain adjustment of brush wheels 3! to and from the fabric as necessitated by the nature of the fabric or the nap desired, or for a different operation, as combing as distinguished from napping, is shown in detail in Figs. 2, 3 and 4.

On the under side and near the edge of supporting ring 2! and concentric therewith, say in a circular slot 42, is provided a narrow ring 44 adapted to slide in the slot and secured to supporting ring 2! by bolts 45. Ring 44 is thus slidable between the brush housings 25 with their flanges 2'! and 28 and the supporting rin 2|. Pins 34, say one for each brush housing 25 and each projecting into the angularly disposed slot 3! of its housing, are afiixed to the ring 44. To shift it angularly, the ring 44 has a short range of gear teeth 46 which are engaged by a gear 4'! on a shaft 48 which is mounted on the supporting ring 25 and is rotatable by say, a handknob 45). Ring 44 is provided with arcuate slots 50 for its holding bolts 45, thus permitting limited movement despite bolts 45.

In operation, as seen from Fig. 2, if it is desired to move the brush wheels 31 some degrees further from the fabric for example, knob 49 is turned to the clockwise which action turns gear 4! clockwise, thus moving ring 44, because of the meshing of the gear 46 with teeth 41, to the left. As a result the pins 34 on member 44 are carried to the left in the slots 3! in brush housing flanges 28. Since pins 34 must describe a circular course in their movement but the slots 3! in the flanges 28 are disposed angularly, the housings or brackets of the brushes are forced to turn correspondingly about the axes of the brush driving shafts 35. The elongated shape of holes 30 and 29 in the housings or brackets permit this movement. Since the housing or bracket movements are around the axes of shafts 35 the brush driving gears 36 remain in mesh with their driving gear teeth 23a. The angular relations of the brushes to the fabric are not changed however. Likewise when it is desired to return the brush wheels 3! closer in toward the fabric, knob 49 is turned to the counter-clockwise, resulting in movement of the parts reverse to that described above. As before however the angular relations of the brushes 3! to the fabric are maintained despite the adjustment.

Lint resulting from the brushing or combing process may be removed by, for example, a casing 5! surrounding the brushing mechanism and a motor-driven vacuum-creating fan 5 I a attached to the casing.

In Fig. 5 is shown my brushing mechanism as an independent unit. Here the fabric is presented as a roll 52 mounted on a beam 53 which is supported in brackets 54. From roller 52 the fabric passes between guide rollers 55, over a cylindrical separator or expander [9 as before, between another pair of guide rollers 55, and into a roll 51 wound on a beam 58. The beam 53 may be power driven to cause the movement of the fabric. If desired, for example lower rollers 55 may be power driven also, and drive the other guide rollers 55, as by endless chain 69 riding over sprockets mounted on the rollers and inter-connected by gears as shown. The structure and operation of my brushing mechanism in such independent unit, may be substantially the same as where there is combination with a knitting machine as before described, except that in such a unit as is shown in Fig. 5 it is more convenient to anchor the separator or expander l9 by a few outside rolls 64, carried by arms 62, and acting on the separator through the cloth as shown and as will be understood. As an incident however I have shown some possible variations in the machine of Fig. 5 of which Fig. 6 shows some parts.

In Fig. 6 is shown another means by which I obtain adjustment of the brushes to and away from the fabric passing over separator l9. Here each brush housing 25 is held to the supporting ring 2| by a neck and nuts as before, but has a small tab 63 to which is afiixed a spring 65, which is attached to the ring 2| by a pin 65. These springs tend to turn the brackets or housings and the brushes toward the fabric or the separator I9. Pins on the housings or brackets carry rolls H which engage the fabric on separator E9 to space the brushes from the fabric. The pins 10 are slidably mounted in the housing ends 26 and can be secured at a desired extension by set screws l2. When it is desired to move a brush 3'! somewhat from the fabric, its roller support or supports Ell may be extended further from the housing and secured in position by the screw or screws 12. To bring a brush 3'! closer in to the fabric, its roller support or supports 78 are moved further up in the brush housing and secured. In this second form of adjustment of brushes 3! to and from the fabric the movements again are around the axes of shafts 35 carrying driving gears 35 and 4D in brush housings 25, with the result that the angular positioning of the brushes 36 with respect to the fabric is maintained.

It will be understood that my invention is not limited to the details of construction and operation described above and shown in the drawings except as appears hereafter in the claims.

I claim:

1. A brushing mechanism for brushing tubular fabric, having a separator, means for moving the fabric over the separator, a supporting ring concentrically substantially surrounding the periphery of said separator, means for rotating said ring, a rotatable brush, rotatable by a driven shaft and supported from said ring with its axis so positioned with respect to the separator axis that on projecting the former toward the latter, such projection will meet the separator periphery and the fabric thereon substantially tangentially and the separator axis at an angle to it, to engage the fabric passed over the separator at an angle to the elements of the tubular fabric, a stationary gear substantially surrounding the periphery of said separator, and a gear carried with said brush to rotate the same and engaging said stationary gear for rotation thereby as said sunporting ring revolves said brush and its driving gear substantially around the separator axis.

2. The subject matter of claim 1, characterized by the fact that said brush is mounted on said supporting ring for adjustment around the axis of said brush driving gear for adjustment to and from the fabric on the separator so that the angular position of the brush with respect to the fabric is maintained.

3. A brushing mechanism for brushing tubular fabric, having a separator, means for moving the fabric over the separator, a supporting ring substantially surrounding the periphery of said separator, means for rotating said ring, a rotatable brush, rotatable by a driven shaft, and its bracket supported from said ring with its axis so positioned with respect to the separator axis that on projecting the former toward the latter, such projection will meet the separator periphery and the fabric thereon substantially tangentially and the separator axis at an angle to it, to engage the fabric passed over the separator at an angle to the elements of the tubular fabric, a stationgear substantially surrounding the periphery of said separator, a gear carried with said brush to rotate the same and engaging said stationary gear for rotation thereby as said supporting ring revolves said brush and its driving gear substantially around the separator axis and slidable means afiixed to said supporting ring and with means thereon to engage the brush bracket to adjust the brush around the axis of the brushs driving gear for adjustment to and from the fabric on the separator so that the angular position of the brush with respect to the fabric is maintained after adjustment.

4. A brushing mechanism for brushing tubular fabric, having a separator, means for moving tubular fabric over the separator, a supporting ring substantially surrounding the periphery of said separator, means for rotating said ring, a rotatable brush, rotatable by a driven shaft, and its bracket supported from said ring with its axis so positioned with respect to the separator axis that on projecting the former toward the latter, such projection will meet the separator periphery and the fabric thereon substantially tangentially and the separator axis at an angle to it, to engage the fabric passed over the separator at an angle to the elements of the tubular fabric, a stationary gear substantially surrounding the periphery of said separator and a gear carried with said brush to rotate the same and engaging said stationary gear for rotation thereby as said supporting ring revolves said brush and its driving gear substantially around the separa tor axis and means slidably held in said brush bracket and resting upon said separator to adjust the brush around the axis of the brushs driving gear for adjustment to and from the fabric on the separator so that the angular position of the brush with respect to the fabric is maintained after adjustment.

5. A brushing mechanism for brushin tubular fabric, having a separator, take-off rolls for moving the fabric over the separator, a supporting ring substantially surrounding the periphery of said separator, gears for rotating said ring, a rotatable brush, rotatable by a driven shaft, a substantially closed bracket mounted on said ring and carrying said brush, the brush axis extendin from within the closed bracket at such an angle that upon being projected toward the separator it will meet it substantially tangentially to the surface of the separator and the fabric thereon and being at an angle to the axis of the separator for the brush to engage at an angle the elements of the cylindrical fabric passed over the separator, a stationary gear substantially surrounding the periphery of said separator and a gear carried with said brush and substantially within said bracket to rotate said brush and engaging said stationary gear for rotation thereby as said supporting ring revolves said brush and its driving gear substantially around the separator axis.

6. A brushing mechanism for brushing tubular fabric, having a separator, take-off rolls for moving the fabric over the separator, a supporting ring substantially surrounding the periphery of said separator, gears for rotating said ring, a rotatable brush, rotatable by a driven shaft, a bracket carrying the brush mounted on said ring, the brush axis being at such an angle that upon being projected toward the separator it will meet it substantially tangentially to the surface of the separator and the fabric thereon and at an angle to the axis of the separator, the brush being thereby so positioned to engage at an angle the elements of the tubular fabric passed over said separator, a stationary gear substantially surrounding the periphery of said separator, a gear carried with said brush to rotate the same and engaging said stationary gear for rotation thereby as said supporting ring revolves said brush and its driving gear substantially around the separator axis, and a slidable ring carried by said supporting ring and having a pin engaging a slot in a flange on said brush bracket to adjust the brush around the aXis of the driving gear of the brush for adjusting the brush to and from the f abric on the separator.

'7. A brushing mechanism for brushing tubular fabric, having a separator, take-off rolls for moving tubular fabric over the separator, a supporting ring substantially surrounding the periphery of said separator, gears for rotating said ring, a rotatable brush, rotatable by a driven shaft, a substantially closed bracket carrying said brush and mounted on said ring, the brush axis extending from within said bracket at such an angle that upon being projected toward the separator it will meet it substantially tangentially to the surface of the separator and the fabric thereon and at an angle to the axis of the separator, the brush being thereby so positioned to engage at an angle the elements of the tubular fabric passed over the separator, a stationary gear substantially surrounding the periphery of said separator, a gear carried with said brush and substantially within said bracket to rotate the brush and engaging said stationary gear for rotation thereby as said supporting ring revolves said brush and its drivin gear substantially around the separator axis, a spring having one end aflixed to said supporting ring and its other end to a tab at one end of said bracket, to move the brush toward the separator, and a roll-carrying pin slidably held in the other end of said bracket to limit the movement of the brush around the axis of the driving gear of the brush in a direction toward the separator.

CHARLES F. MILLER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 35 Number Name Date 140,320 Tomkins et al June 24, 1873 600,885 Musgrove Mar. 22, 1898 1,082,992 Baum Dec. 30, 1913 

